Harry Potter 8, Chapter 1
by Tess-Weasley
Summary: Chapter One of Harry Potter 8. James get his school supplies at Diagon Alley


Chapter One

As Grimmauld Place usually was at 8:09 in the morning, it was quiet. The light filtered through the room downstairs, where Kreature silently swept the dirt from the fire place. On the very top floor, James, with his glasses still on his face, and his clothes fully assembled, snored softly in his bed. On the floor below that, Albus-Severus was reading his school books under the dim lighting of his wand. Lily was playing with her pigmy-puff in the room next to him, and on the floor below, Ginny and Harry Potter were just waking up.

Diagon Alley bustled with exitement. Albus, in deep concentration, was reading off his list of school supplies. James watched all the people walk by coolly, with a strut in his step as he went. Although he, along with his father, and his father's father, refused to believe it, it was, in fact, a strut.

Out of the corner of his eye, James spotted a blonde head floating amungts the many, normal heads. But this head stood out, only because there were three blonde heads, all belonging to the Malfoy's. Scorpious, a Slytherin a year below him, was walking with his father and mother, buying his school things as well. James put a hand on Lily's shoulder and pointed. "I'll be right back," he murmured distractedly.

James pushed through the crowd to Scorpious. "Hello, _Malfoy_. Enjoying yourself?" James asked, running his eyes lazily up Scorpious.

Scorpious said nothing, but he nodded.

"Fine," James smirked, raising his brows, adknowleding the other Malfoys. He nodded his head the slightest at them, then turned back to Scorpious. "I just wanted to let you know," he went on without dropping his cool voice, "that you've gotten something on you're _face._" Then, James moved his head closer. Someone had come up behind him, and was leaning casually on his shoulder.

"Nah," Fred, George and Angelina Weasley's son, and James' best friend, said, leaning in as well. "I reckon that's just his _nose_."

James stood up straight, and with an air of surprise in his voice, said, "Is it really?" James ran a hand through his hair. "Well, I've got to run. I need to get to the joke shop. I've heard they sell fake noses… I might be able to organize-"

"Maybe its best you get your eyes checked, Potter. You can't even tell what a nose looks like. Looks like your father did pass something down to you after all- I heard he wasn't to bright, either."

Fred snorted. The two of them walked ambled off to the joke shop, mumbling as they went. "James!" A voice screeched. James winced turning around.

"Yes, Mum?"

"Don't you _dare _tell me you've been picking trouble with Malfoy!"

"No, Mum!" James shouted over the crowd.

"Definitley _not_!" piped up Fred.

"Just complementing him on the lovely shade of _black _on his robes!" James called, and the two of them hurried off the joke shop.

When they emerged with fire crackers, filibusters, puking pasties, and all sorts of sick joke material, they met up at Flourish and Blott's to get the last of their school books. After that, Lily and Hugo tagged along with James and Fred as they wandered about Diagon Alley.

James finally led them back to the Leaky Couldren, where everyone was waiting to leave. James bumped into Teddy Lupin just as he was leaving. "Teddy!" he exclaimed. Teddy's hair was a bright red. Victoire was with him, her graceful little hand slipped in his. Jame's eyes lingered on her for a moment, before turning back to Teddy. "Good to see ya! Coming back to the house with us?"

Teddy shrugged, looking at Victoire. "We wouldn't want to intrude…" she smiled.

"Oh, please. Come on." James smiled eargerly, and they agreed to come back to Grimmauld Place with them.

Fred had brought back some butter beer, and they celebrated loudly, to another year back at Hogwarts. Albus and Rose had their faces in their books that they just bought at Diagon Alley. Lilly was showing Victoire her new Pigmy Puff, and Hugo was bent over a stray lady bug that wandered through the house. So technically, the only people celebrating were Teddy (who was long done with Hogwarts), James, and Fred. They hung out in James's room, which was covered in pictures of Puddlemore United, and his favorite band, the Garden Gnomes. They slurped butter beer and shot some fire crackers out the window. Finally, there was a knock on the door, and Rose entered.

She flung herself onto the bed, her hair frizzing like it did when she was frustrated. James watched silently as she picked up his pillow and gnawed at it, kicking her feet on the ground. For a moment, he'd thought she'd mistaken his room, for the spare one, but when she started talking, he relaxed a bit.

"I can't _believe _them!" she yelled, throwing the pillow. Teddy, who was lying on the ground with his legs against the wall, cocked his head. Fred gave her a cup of butter beer, which she took hastily. After taking a huge gulp, she continued. "-I mean, all they _ever _do is tease me about how they think I 'fancy' _Scorpius."_

"Pathetic-"

"Scum bag-"

"_Slytherin_-"

"Foul-"

"Loathsome-"

James and Fred never denied the opportunity to insult Scorpius. When they finished, Rose seemed to wince a bit. Then she glared.

"What, you're not saying you _do_ fancy him!" James exclaimed almost dropping his butter beer.

Rose stood up, and with a last look of daggers at them, ran from the room. They heard her sobs down the hall, down a flight of stairs, and faded as they heard the bathroom door slam.

Fred and James exchanged wary glances.

Then they continued celebrating, until it was time for them to go to bed.


End file.
